Wednesday, 22 January 2014

THE ACCUSED

The Somnath Bharti case has become a test case to prove
whether the very same people who fought pitched battles for Nirbhaya and
empowerment for women will walk the talk when it comes to equal right and
justice for women. Way back in the movie ‘THE ACCUSED’ Jodie Foster played the
award winning role of a prostitute who is raped by a gang of drunk men in a
bar. Based on a real life incident the movie makes the point that even a
prostitute has equal rights as any other woman and she cannot be violated
against her will. So even assuming that some of the Ugandan women in Khirki
village, might have been sex workers, the due process of law in terms of
serving summons, an investigation by officers with a lady officer present – all
this should have been followed. Not only was all this disregarded but Bharti
with purpose outraged the decency and modesty of these African nationals. Let’s
face it: Bharti is an accused in this matter and more than water and power and
Lokpal bills this is the real test case for the Kejriwal govt. whether it is
prepared to walk it’s talk.